President Chen Shui-bian (
"It is the common goal of Taiwan, Japan and the United States to safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and stability in the Asia-Pacific region," Chen said. "I believe the three countries are allied in values and partners in security. Although Taiwan and Japan do not have diplomatic ties, I hope that a constructive quasi-military alliance could be established between the two countries."
Chen made the remarks while receiving Reijiro Hattori, chairman of the Interchange Association, Japan, at the Presidential Office yesterday morning.
Chen thanked Japan and the US for affirming in February last year that the protection of Taiwan was a "common strategic objective" and encouraging both sides of the Taiwan Strait to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue.
He also acknowledged that the Japanese government had expressed grave concern over Beijing's "Anti-Secession" Law and firmly opposed a proposal to lift the EU arms embargo against China.
Chen extended his appreciation to the Japanese government for its support of Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Assembly as an observer and for voting in favor of the nation's attempt to join the body in 2004.
Meanwhile, Chen congratulated Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on his re-election and wished his party luck in January's parliamentary elections.
Jammeh won a third term in a landslide victory in September, garnering 67 percent of the vote. The inauguration is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Chen made the remarks while receiving Bala Garba-Jahump, Gambian secretary of state for foreign affairs and national assembly matters, at the Presidential Office yesterday morning. Chen also invited Jammeh to visit Taiwan after taking his oath of office.
Jahump said Gambia would retain its ties with Taiwan and support the nation's attempts to join international organizations.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Xinyi A13 Department Store last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined at
EYE ON STRAIT: The US spending bill ‘doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,’ while also seeking to counter the influence of China US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a US$1.2 trillion spending package that includes US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan, as well as funding for Taipei-Washington cooperative projects. The US Congress early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 to avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through September for a fiscal year that began six months ago. Under the package, the Defense Appropriations Act would provide a US$27 billion increase from the previous fiscal year to fund “critical national defense efforts, including countering the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” according to a summary
‘CARRIER KILLERS’: The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes’ stealth capability means they have a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat, an analyst said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presided over a ceremony at Yilan County’s Suao Harbor (蘇澳港), where the navy took delivery of two indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. The corvettes, An Chiang (安江) and Wan Chiang (萬江), along with the introduction of the coast guard’s third and fourth 4,000-tonne cutters earlier this month, are a testament to Taiwan’s shipbuilding capability and signify the nation’s resolve to defend democracy and freedom, Tsai said. The vessels are also the last two of six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered from Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船) by the navy, Tsai said. The first Tuo Chiang-class vessel delivered was Ta Chiang (塔江)